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Saturday, January 31, 2015

Guys, I am so sorry it’s been such a long time since I’ve
posted a blog. This whole grad school thing has literally taken over my life
(why did no one warn me?!). I don’t know how often I will be able to keep up
with this wonderful creation of writing but I shall aim for every couple months
(this is not a binding contract!). Now that that disclosure is out of the way,
let’s get to the good stuff.

Five months ago I embarked on a life-changing experience. I
moved mountains and swam oceans to uproot my life to the vast, mystical land
that is Southern California (from the far-off land that is Northern
California). Even though I have ventured to the tanning capitol of the world
many times before there are still countless sunny, sand-filled experiences I
have yet to revel in. Because I don’t want to be a lonely duckling embarking on
these adventures, I have forced my family and friends to come visit me. When
they visit me I get to impress them with my newfound SoCal street smarts and it
gives me an excuse to show off my deal guru ways (when my face isn’t glued to
textbooks and word documents).

One of my very good friends came to visit me for Halloween, my
mom visited me the following weekend, and my best sister/friend visited me
right after finals. With them visiting me, we got to experience hydrobikes, the
Queen Mary, a fashion show, the San Diego Safari Park, bottomless mimosa brunches,
an Irish pub, whale watching, and a food tour. Sounds like a bank breaker
amount of fun right?! WRONG!!! If you don’t believe me then see my handy dandy
chart below to see what I paid vs. what Hollywood stars pay!

What
I Paid

Hollywood
Stars Pay

Hydrobikes

$10

$20

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor

$12

$24

Brunch (for 2) w/ bottomless mimosas @ The Green House

$22

$44

F.A.C.E. fashion show

$18

$34

San Diego Safari Park

$21

$46

Shenanigans food & drinks

$13

$30

Queen Mary’s historical tour

$16

$33

Marina Del Rey whale Watching

$29

$60

Brunch (for 2) w/ bottomless mimosas @ Alegria Cocina

$25

$50

Old Towne Orange Walking Food Tour

$34.50

$69

TOTAL

$200.50

$410

That was back-to-back weekends and a much needed grad school
free weekend of non-stop SoCalscapades (bad or good name merge?) for less than
half off!! Living in SoCal may be
expensive but having fun doesn’t have to be!!!

Riding hydrobikes was pretty interesting. It required a lot
more leg work than I had anticipated and I left with some jelly-filled calves
the rest of the day. But that makes it even better. Having fun and working out
= SCORE!!!! And for half off the normal price? Even better!!!

Later that day my friend and I went to the Queen Mary’s Dark
Harbor for some spooktacular scarefest Halloween fun. And even though it literally
rained on our parade, we had a blast. Anytime someone creepy comes crawling at
me I can’t help but laugh/scream at the same time! Plus we totally got to like
rock out in our totally awesome 80s wear!! Jealous much?!

The next day we got to enjoy a delicious bottomless mimosa filled
brunch (BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS)!!!!

Plus they had pictures on the wall of the restaurant like this:

Who wouldn’t love this place?!

Then we went to a “fashion” show in downtown LA which was
more of a “please take your shirt off super-hot buff guy, that outfit looks
ridiculous” kind of show. (I’m certainly not complaining) Not a bad way to
spend a Saturday night if I do say so myself. It was definitely a weekend full
of sunny SoCal (except pouring rain) fun. Thanks for visiting me Okerra!!!!!

After all that crazy and wild life in my 20s kind of fun I
got to spend the next weekend with my mom. She came to visit me for 4 whole
days and we got to have a much more relaxing while still adventurous fun in the
sun kind of weekend. Tigers, cheetahs, dolphins oh my!! From the San Diego
Safari Park to whale watching we saw all kinds of scarily captured and ocean
roaming creatures.

Going to the San Diego Safari Park was definitely a fun way
to spend the day if it weren’t for the unnecessary 90+ degree weather in
November!!! For crying out loud SoCal have some seasonal decency!!! Even the tigers
weren’t a fan of the ridiculously hot sun!!

Seriously though SoCal? Pouring rain one weekend and 90+
degrees the next weekend? I do not approve!!!!

As for the whale watching, even though we only got to see a
couple of dolphins and one whale, it was still a relaxing, hypnotic ride out to
the deep blue sea. Truth be told though, we didn’t get to see the whale in full
form; all we got see was the water coming out of her blowhole and I’m pretty
sure that was her way of giving us the finger. But it was still fun to see
everyone running over each other from one end of the boat to the other for that
potential glimpse of Shamu.

While we didn’t enjoy any shirtless fashion shows, it was
still just as enjoyable. Thanks for coming to visit mom, I love you!!!!

Then right after finals my best sister-friend visited me for
some much needed escapism. We got our grub on at the Old Town Orange Walking
Food Tour and an interesting brunch with bottomless mimosas at Alegria Cocina.
Food and drinks: What more does a girl need in life after 4 months of slaving
away through grad school hysteria?

So I know $200 seems like kind of a lot of money but when it's spread out over 3 different staycations with 3 different people, it's really not that much. Especially not when you consider doing all of those things would have cost me over $400 if I wasn't such a brilliantly cut-rate savant living that cheap grad student life!!Stick with me folks, I'll take you places ;-)